The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-05-28

rejected a slip of paper his wife had pre-
pared for memorandum, saying he guessed
his memory could be trusted. Now, as the
last article was displayed, he exclaimed;
''Now, mother, what do you think of my
memory"
Where's Ruth's shoes2" was the reply.
"Well, well! if l didn't clean forgit 'em,
and now she can't go to meetin' tomorrow"
said the captain. Ruth smiled little scorn-
fully as she said: II reckon you're not very
sorry, Pm sure I'm not"
Such pretty girl as this Ruth was, slen-
der, straight and fair like her mother; but
firm-lipped and steel-blue eyed like her
father, with way of carrying her small
head that made one think of a soldier
marching to battle, so stately it was. Now
she dished up the supper as if serving ra-
tons to an enemy, and soon the family
were seated around the Widespread table.
But the captains mood had changed; his
brow, was clouded, and as a cloudy sky af-
fects a landscape, so the captains clouded
brow affected his family. The poor, waver-
ing smile left his wife's face the boys were
still; even Susie's chattering tongue was
silent. But not long, for glancing at the
faces of first one and then another, she sud
denly exclaimed:
so mother look what papa bought me-"
And she held up for all to see string Of
blue beads.
"Susie," said her father 81 thought you
weren'tto show 'em till tomorrow"
She laughed gleefully as she answered:
''Now they's all glad. And Ruthie, you
you can wear 'em tomorrow
Ruth smiled, and taking the beads put
them about Susie's neck, kissing her fondly
as she did so.
I Dear little Susie, how they all loved her,
more now if possible than ever, since her
recovery from the terrible attack Of fever
she had suffered during the past winter
But, strange to say, the first serious trouble
in the captains family dated from this sick
ness OF Susie.
1t CHANGED when she became i'll, the fami-
ly doctor himself was confined to his bed
with rheumatism, and they were compelled
to employ young man who had been prac-
ticing medicine few years in Clifton and
its vicinity. He proved skillful, and by his
kindly attention won the affection of his lit
tie patient, and the esteem Of her mother;
and would, it is likely, have won the cap
tain's friendshipa as WELL if that worthy man
had not noticed that his eldest daughter
seemed very attractive to the young ply
stefan, and that the girl looked rather too
favorably upon him.
The captain did not approve of this. He
had his own plans for his daughters future
and he generally carried out his plans
whether the object in his way were a living
or inanimate object. In fact, rumor had
it, that on that memorable fiat boat trip the
captain had used violence in removing one
human obstacle from his path. For the
truth of this we can not vouch, but we do
endorse the opinion of his loud-voiced
friend in Clifton: THAT to get along with
the captain, you needed to keep on the right
side of him.
You may be sure his family were aware
of this popularity, and perhaps that was
why that smile on his wife's lips was so I'M
decided. However, so far all had been
peaceful in the family. The wife was quiet
and yielding in her disposition; the children
too young for fragrant disobedience; but
Ruth, now eighteen, was beginning to form
opinions OF her own, and express them also
And when her father, having settled with
Dr. Hargrove for his professional services
received the friendly visits the young man
made with such marked GOODNESS as to
make the guest uncomfortable; she in order
to show her disapproval, was kinder than
ever.
To say the captain was angry and sur
prised, would not half describe his state of
nina; indeed, do not believe words could
do the subject justice, so | will not attempt
it, But in brief conversation with Ruth
he told her, enforcing his threat with an
oath, that If she thought to throw Bob In
gram, with his hundred an sixty acres Of
good land and fine lot Of stock, over for
that boss doctor, she was mistaken, that
was all, He-the captain-would soon stop
that sort o. nonsense.
Ruth made no answerto this declaration;
but her eyes met his steadily, her lips shut
firmly, and her shapely head seemed more
erect than ever. Muttering something
between his closed lips her astonished
father walked out of the room.
This scene had occurred about a month
previous to the opening of our story, and in
all this time Ruth and the doctor had met
but once, and then by accident, at least on
her part, at church. This was why Ruth
had spoken as she did about the shoes. She
believed they had been forgotten" pur-
posely. She was mistaken; the captain re-
sorted to no subterfuges; and when Ruth
treated Bob, who had spent every Sunday
evening at the house for few weeks,
rather coolly; he plainly showed by his own
cordially, at least, the young man was a
welcome visitor
But Bob Ingram was no fool, and besides
well aware of his own Importance, and al
though Ruth's indifference piqued him, as
she was, he knew, the prettiest girl in the
neighborhood, he did not intend to run
after one who plainly showed dislike to his
attentions, when other pretty girls were
ready and willing to smile on him. And
this is what he was telling DR.. Hargrove as
the two sat in the latters Office in Clifton
The result of this conversation between the
young men will be explained as our story
proceeds.
Meanwhile supper at the captains was
over, the evening labor done, and Ruth,
candle in hand, was about to go upstairs,
when her her father said:
''Ruth, | heard in town that Mary Ann
Goodnough had run off with Hiram Stod-
dard"
"Run offn exclaimed Ruth, turning to
look at her father; ''why, what for!''
$40 marry him, goose" was the reply.
Ruth laughed.
"Sure enough" she said, "what goose
/ am wonder what the Squire'll do about
it?"
81 don't know what he'd do" answered
the captain, "but know what I'd do in such
a case"
"Well, what would you don questioned
his daughter.
"Shoot the fellow like dog" said the